Device for cleaning teeth.



H. F. HAMILTON.

DEVICE FOR CLEANING TEETH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1910.

1,058,234. Patented pr-8,1913.

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HARRY F. HAMILTON, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR CLEANING TEETH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

Application filed July 8, 1910. Serial No. 570,932.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY F. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States of America. and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Cleaning Teeth, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for cleaning teeth and it is intended to be used by dentists for cleaning the teeth of patients and also by patients for cleaning their own teeth.

It has long been known that one of the best devices for cleaning the teeth and keeping them in a healthy condition, is a sharp ened wooden peg. It has been common to make use of sticks of properly selected wood made long enough to grasp by the hand and sharpened at the end but with a device of this character it was not possible to reach the inside of the back teeth and other parts of the mouth.

My invention is designed to make use of short pegs or sections of wood formed purposely for this work and the object of the invention is to secure such a cleaning peg to the end of one of the fingers in a position as near as possible to the finger nail so that the person using it may be accurately guided by the sense of touch or feeling in working around the teeth and in locating the various spaces to be cleaned.

I carry out the above object by means of the device hereinafter described and claimed.

I illustrate my invention by means of the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my device in position on the finger with a portion cut away, Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line w m of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, A represents a thimble which is adapted to fit the end of the finger and is to be used preferably on the first finger.

The clamping peg D is made of some firm, close grained wood like birch or orange wood and it is here shown as being formed with a chisel edge on its end with the body portion tapering toward the rear. The peg is held in a suitable socket secured to the thimble in such a manner that the working edge of the peg may be located as nearly as possible to the finger nail. As shown here, the peg is held by a main socket B, which is pivoted to the thimble near its outer end by the rivet b for the purpose hereinafter shown, and an auxiliary socket in the rear. The peg passes through the socket B, which is made slightly tapering to fit the shank of the peg and the rear end is held normally by an auxiliary socket C which is secured to the thimble directly in rear of the socket B so that the peg will lie normally parallel or substantially so with the axis of the thimble.

In working around the rear teeth both on the inside and outside, it is not always vconvenient to have the cleaning peg point straight in line with the thimble and I have provided means by which the peg may be readily secured in one or more angular positions to facilitate working in out-of-theway places. For this purpose I secure an auxiliary socket c on one side of the socket C and a like socket 0 on the opposite side so that the peg may be turned to and secured in an angular position at each side of its normal or straight position.

By means of the three posit-ions of the peg the working edge can be used on any required portion of the teeth either on the inside or outside. The normal position of the peg on the finger comes near the position of the finger nail and this fact enables the user to accurately locate the parts to be worked on by the sense of touch or feeling.

In using the peg it is understood that tooth powder or other abrasive is used as required but the essential thing is to be able to bear on with a heavy pressure, this action having a beneficial effect on the teeth.

I desire it to be understood that various modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims in the form of the parts without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. A device for cleaning teeth comprising a thimble adapted to fit the end of the finger, a socket secured to the outside of said thimble and extending longitudinally thereof and a cleaning rigid, inflexible peg fitting in said socket.

2. A device for cleaning teeth comprising a thimble adapted to fit the end of the finger, a socket secured to the outside of and on the side of said thimble and extending longitudinally thereof and approximately at the outer end thereof and a rigid, inflexible cleaning peg fitting said socket.

3. A device for cleaning teeth comprising a thimble adapted to fit the end of the finger, a socket pivoted on one side of the thimble, a cleaning peg fitting said socket and extending therethrough and means for holding the peg at a plurality of angular positions.

4-. A device for cleaning teeth comprising a thiinble adapted to fit the end of the finger, a socket pivoted on one side of said thinible, a cleaning peg fitting said socket and extend ing therethrough, and a plurality of auxiliary sockets in rear of said pivoted socket for receiving and holding the rear end of the peg and disposed so-as to hold the peg in a plurality of angular positions.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of June, 1910.

HARRY F. HAMILTON.

Witnesses HERBERT H. BARNES, F.- G. 19001:.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

